The embodiments herein relate to conserving labor and infrastructure during subterranean formation operations, and more particularly, to conserving labor and infrastructure using a compact proppant storage and dispensing system.
Subterranean wells (e.g., hydrocarbon producing wells) are often stimulated by hydraulic fracturing treatments. In hydraulic fracturing treatments, a treatment fluid, which may also function simultaneously or subsequently as a carrier fluid, may be pumped into a portion of a subterranean formation (which may be referred to herein simply as “formation”) at a rate and pressure sufficient to break down the formation and create one or more fractures therein. Typically, particulate solids, such as graded sand, are suspended in a portion of the treatment fluid and then deposited into the fractures. The particulate solids, known as “proppant particulates” (which may also be referred to herein as “proppant” or “propping particulates”) serve to prevent the fractures from fully closing once the hydraulic pressure is removed. By keeping the fractures from fully closing, the proppant particulates aid in forming conductive paths through which fluids produced from the formation may flow to the surface for collection.
The amount and type of proppant particulates necessary to complete a particular hydraulic fracturing operation may depend on a number of factors including, but not limited to, the type of subterranean formation being treated, the downhole conditions of the particular formation, the completion design, and the like. Typically, a large amount of proppant particulates is required to complete a hydraulic fracturing operation. Moreover, it is often required that the hydraulic fracturing operation be completed at several well locations within a designated amount of time. Thus, such operations characteristically involve multiple equipment pieces, which may require minor or major movement at a worksite, in order to store and transport proppant particulates to a designated location for treatment of the formation.
In a typical hydraulic fracturing operation, multiple proppant storage vessels are placed at the well site and arranged about a conveyer belt. The vessels are capable of holding proppant particulates and dispensing the proppant particulates onto the conveyer belt. The conveyer belt then delivers the proppant particulates to a blender, which incorporates them into a treatment fluid for pumping downhole into the subterranean formation. Depending on the number and size of vessels, a sand storage facility or trailer may be positioned near the vessels such that they may be refilled with proppant particulates, as needed. The multiple equipment pieces necessary to store and convey the proppant particulates to the blender during a hydraulic fracturing operation (e.g., the vessels, the conveyer belt, and the like) require a significant portion of the worksite to be dedicated to accommodating the large equipment footprint, may increase the cost of the operation due to loss of proppant particulates from the conveyer belt, increase the complexity of the worksite design in terms of both equipment and personnel logistics, and generally require large expenditures to perform and successfully complete the operation.